Polish Prime Minister makes plea to Euro 2012 fans
The Polish Prime Minister, Donal Tusk, has made an appeal to Euro 2012 football fans - assuring them that it is still safe to visit his country for the games.
The letter, which was published in the Guardian and other leading European newspapers, comes after the British media raised the issue of racism among Polish fans.
On the topic of racism, Tusk commented: “As yet, no European country has been able to fully eradicate the problem of racism. We in Poland are also combating this phenomenon, which is neither greater nor smaller than in other European Union countries.
“Almost half a million UK citizens come to Poland every year. Many of them relax in Poland in an extremely easy-going manner. They are always greeted with much hospitality. For at least three years, not a single racially motivated incident has been reported by British tourists."
"With all certainty, everyone who visits Poland during Euro 2012 will feel safe in our country.”
Tusk also reminded fans of the lengths Poland has recently gone to in order to welcome guests – including investing billions in modernising their infrastructure, and building brand new stadiums which “many people have said …are some of the most modern in the world.”
The Prime Minster also took time to remind fans that a visit to Poland could be rewarding beyond football – drawing attention to “our legendary Polish hospitality” and “many attractions that are still off the beaten tourist track: the Great Masurian Lake District; the Bialowieza primeval forest, unique in the EU; Wroclaw, with its bridges and canals; vibrant and modern Warsaw; the 1,000-year-old Cathedral Island and the Renaissance city hall in Poznan; and Gdansk - a pearl of Hanseatic architecture.”
Finally, he reminded travelers that Poland is no longer deserving of its previous image and reputation, saying: “Poland has made tremendous progress in her development. Two decades ago, we were a poor post-communist country on Europe's eastern frontier.
"Today we are the country that has averted recession during the recent turmoil and become the biggest construction site in the European Union. I invite you to see for yourselves the scale of change that our country has undergone.”
